Won't you be my neighbor?
Tent City 4 and the Experience of Home(lessness)
Project Mentor
Ron Krabill, PhD
rkrabill@uwb.edu
Student Researchers
Jesse Delira
Salena Farris
April Nishimura
Tara Olson
Jamie Stroble
Dane Sydow
Description
Building on ongoing collaboration between UW Bothell and Tent City 4 (TC4), a semi-permanent homeless encampment in the Seattle suburbs run through democratic self-governance, a group of UW undergraduates—mentored by Ron Krabill—undertook a community collaborative research project as part of UW's annual Summer Institute in the Arts and Humanities. Students asked: "What is the best way to create an authentic body of knowledge relevant to community, home, and what it means to be a good neighbor in relation to TC4?" Students worked closely with residents of TC4 and other stakeholders (including opponents of TC4) to construct both an art installation and a documentary film that resist typical depictions of people experiencing homelessness while exploring the multiple, contradictory meanings of community, home and neighbor. In addition to more conventional research, students utilized innovative sources of information, including analysis of media, visual documentation, and self-reflexive methods. The installation and film will be displayed at the annual fundraising dinner that generates the bulk of the funds for operating TC4. More importantly, both items will be used to provide education for communities in which TC4 is about to be located. For instance:
- a church which plans to host TC4 will invite parishioners and neighbors to view both items prior to TC4's arrival
- a neighborhood in which TC4 will be located will include both items in the monthly art walks that many communities hold
- schools surrounding an upcoming TC4 location will host both items in conjunction with visits by residents of TC4
The film and installation will prove to be excellent tools for educating communities impacted by TC4 and homelessness more generally. Additionally, students and faculty involved in the project have already been invited to present their innovative community collaboration approach at four conferences, including one regional, two national, and one international in scope.